Sous vide cooking, like all cooking, is about time and temperature. You can adjust either or both to influence your results. Chef Thomas Keller demonstrates this by walking through two short rib preparations: two short ribs cooked sous vide, one at 62°C for 48 hours and another at 79°C for a cooking time of 24 hours (the recipe remains the same, simply the time and temperatures are adjusted). As Chef Keller notes, some juice from the meat has collected in the vacuum sealer bag around the 62°C short rib, which has been cooked long enough to break down its muscle and fibers but not at a high enough temperature so as to render out much of the fat that gives the meat its flavor. By contrast, more fat and juices will collect around the 79°C short rib, resulting in a smaller piece of meat that is more similar in texture to the traditionally braised short rib. The serving options are endless when it comes to sous vide short ribs: Pan-sear them like a steak, slice them and toss them into a salad, or serve them with a traditional sauce, such as one that is red wine veal stock–based. Cook a short rib at 79ºC for 24 hours to achieve a texture similar to that of a traditionally braised short rib. Also, experiment with adding herbs and spices into the bag to impart your own flavors. Some possibilities include black pepper or a sprig of thyme.
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